Invalid elevator



' C. O. NICOLAI V June 4, 1940.

mum mnvnoa 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 19, 1939 19 CHARLES O-NICDLAIINVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

June 4, 1940. c, Q NlCOLAa 2,203,204

INVALID ELEVATOR Filed Aug. 19. 1939 a Sheets-Sheet 2 19 19 4 13 1% 32;*W' 1 1W 15 r 7- I 69 15 .0 64 1 W m ,9 'LB' 1 r CHARLES O-NICOLAI INVEN TOR.

ATTORNEY.

J n 1940- c. o. NICOLAI INVALID ELEVATOR Filed Aug. 19, 1939 3Sheets-Shea; 3

CHARLES O.NIOOLAI INV EN TOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented June '4, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT o ICE INVALID ELEVATOR vCharlesO. Nicolai, New York, N. Y.

Application August 19,

' 3 Claims.

This invention relates to hospital equipment, and it consists ofan'apparatus adapted to be used in lifting sick persons from their cotsor beds, holding them in a comfortable position 5 while their cots orbeds are being re-arranged, changed or made up, conveying the patientfrom one room to another, and to gently replace them upon their cots orbeds.

An object of this invention is to provide an .invali'd elevatorcomprising an upright mobile frame havingcross-bars fixed-thereto at itsupper end, and having a; longitudinally divided platform and means forraising or lowering the platform by mechanism; supported by saidcross-bars.

Another object of this invention is to provide a body-lifting-frame forsupporting the platform members, the said frame being designed to beraised or lowered ateither end so as to adjust the platform in anydesired angular position,

: especially when the patient, while on the platform, is to be placedover a bedpan.

Another object of this invention is to provide a longitudinally dividedplatform supported by jointed members including an elbow joint 25 whichcan be broken only in an upward direc tion, so as to permit the foldingof said jointed members for moving said platform members into aninoperative upper position. 7, This application is a continuation inpart of 30 my application Serial No. 162,387, filed September 3, 1937.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention will behereinafter more particularly described, and the combination andarrange- 35 ment of parts will be shown in the accompanying drawings andpointed out in the claims which form part of this specification.

Reference will now be had to the drawings, wherein like numerals ofreference designate 40 corresponding parts throughout the several views,

in which: Y Figure 1 is a side elevation of my invalid elevator,illustrating the apparatus in conjunction with a bed. 45 Figure 2 is anend elevation of the invalid elevator.

' Figure 3 "is a top plan view.

Figure 4' is a cross-sectional view, the section being taken as online4-4 in Figure l and show- 50 ing the platform members in operativeposition.

Figurev 5 isla cross-sectional view, similar to Figure 4, and showingthe platform members in an inoperative position.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view of as the body-lifting-frame,and showingan elon- 1939, Serial No. 290,965

gated aperture in said frame which permits the said frame to assumeangular positions in relation to the bed.

Figure 'l is a fragmentary front view of the head rest.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the numeral illindicates my invalid elevator, comprising an upright mobile frame ll ofrectangular cross-section and mounted on four upright tubular posts l2.The posts i2 are se- 10 cured on two sides by two elongated rails l3positioned at the upper portion of the posts, and bytwo elongated railsl4, slidably mounted on the posts.

Fixed to the posts l2 are rails l5 which are shorter than the rails l3and I4, the rails l5 be-' ing positioned in right-angular relation withthe ..rails l3 and it and define the ends of the frame I l. The posts 12have swivel casters H at their lower ends to enable the invalid elevatorto be 2 readily steered into position around a bed. Figures l, 2, and'4show a conventional bed l3 drawn in dot-and-dash lines, the posts l2being suitably spaced apart to provide large clearances between the bedIt and the frame ll.

Secured to the upper rails l3, l3, are crossbars l9, l9, having securedat their midportions brackets 20. The brackets have apertures 2| toreceive elevating screws 22, 22'. The heads 23 of the screws 22 rest onthe brackets 20, with the body of the screws in an uprightposition. TheI lower ends of the screws are journaled in gear housings 24, which areopen at two side walls at their lower ends. 1 v -Mounted on the screw 22is a threaded memher 26 havingpivots 21 passing slightly into the member26, up to the screw 22, and which pass through arms 28, 28 at one end ofa bodylifting-frame 29 and provide a pivotal mounting for said frame.

Mounted on the screw 22' is a threaded member 30 having pivots 3ipassing slightly into the, member 30, up to the screw 22'. andwhich-pass through arms 32, 32 at the opposite end of thebody-lifting-frame 29 and provide another pivotal mounting for saidframe. Elongated aper tures 33 have been provided 'in-thearms 32, 32'

. for sliding engagement with the pivots 3|.

Bevel gears 34 have been mounted on'the lower ends of the elevatingscrews 22 and 22'. The bevel gears 34 are in meshed engagement withbevel gears 35 secured to shafts 36 which are mounted transversely ofthe gear housings 24. The shafts 36 have handwheels 31 for manualoperationof the elevating screws. The handwheels provide means wherebyeach end of the body-lifting-frame 29 may be separately raised orlowered.

As best shown in Figure 4, links 40 have been mounted on pivots 4! atopposite sides of the body-lifting-frame 29. Pivotally mounted on pivots42, at the lower ends of the links 40, are arms 43 which form elbowjoints 44 with said links. Each.pair of arms 43, lengthwise of theinvalid elevator, are integrally secured to a platform member 45, thesaid platform member being in right-angular relation with the said arms.

On rotation of one of the screws 22 or 22', the frame 29 assumes anangular position and causes the platform members 45 to assume an angularposition and to be raised or lowered. It is to be noted that the screw22 has a right-hand thiead and the screw 22' has a left-hand thread soas to permit rotation of both screws simultaneously and to raise bothends of the platform when turning both handwheels 31 in one direction.

As shown in Figure 4, the two platform members 45, 45, jointly provide alongitudinally divided platform. The members 45, 45, may be separatelyand successively swung under a patient. and adapted for attaching to apin 48 serve for locking the platform members 45, 45, for maintainingthe said members in aligned horizontal relation adapted for supportingan invalid thereon and preventing the platform members from spreadingapart.

The inoperative position of the platform mem bers 45, 45, and the links40,'is shown in Figure 5, into which position they are moved by flexiblecables 50, attached to the arms 43, as at 5|, Figure l. The cables 50pass over pulleys 52, carried by the cross-bars I9, then over pulleys 53at the upper ends of the posts l2, and have their ends attached tocounterweights 54 freely movable inside the posts l2. When in raisedposition, the platform members 45, 45, are pivoted on the pins 42connecting the links 40 and arms 43.

A head rest (Figure '7) is suspended from a hand lever 6|, pivoted at 62on a bar 63. The bar 63 is carried by an'extension 64 of the frame 29.The bar 63 has an arcuate rack 65 at one side. The lever 6| carries apawl 66 actuable by a spring 61. The head of a person may be raised bythe head-rest relative to his body on the platform. The body may beraised and lowered by operation of the hand wheels 31. It

will be apparent that the invalid elevator may be moved on its swivelingcasters to straddle a narrow-bed or cot such as are used in hospitals.It is also apparent that by raising the platform members, one end morethan the other, that the body of the patient will be positionedangularly with respect to the bed.

The inoperative or folded position of the pivoted links and platformmembers, as shown in Figure 5, is attained by manually raising theplatform members, this upward movement being automatically facilitatedby the counterbalancing effect of the counterweights 54, which hold theplatform members in the out of the way position above the bed.

The platform members are provided with a commode-opening 68. Theplatform has a pair of leg-supporting sections 69, 69 extendingoutwardly from one end of the platform members. The leg-sections arepositioned above the bot tom surface of the platform members so as toLatch means 46 pivotally. mounted at 42 conform to the shape of the bodyof the person resting on said platform.

While I have shown the leg-supporting sections as a unit with theplatform .members 45, its is to be understood that the members 69 aredetachable from the platform members 45.- The members 69 have flanges 25having bayonet joints (not shown) cooperating with bolts in the ends ofthe members 45 for suitably connecting these members.

It is to be noted that the rails l4 have upwardly extending arms 10carried by flat leaf springs 1|, the springs being fixed at their lowerends to elbow fittings 12 at the ends of each railing. It is also to benoted that bevelled extensions 13 have been formed on the posts l2 inalignment with the spring arms 10 in their topmost positions. It is thuspossible to slide the rails I4 upwardly into interlocking engagementwith the extensions 13 to be supported in said upper position. Onreleasing the spring arms 10, the rails l4 slide down the posts l2 andcome to rest on collars 14.

As shown in Figure 4, the links 40 have elongated slots 15 in alignment.with the pivots 4i and positioned below the pivots. The slots 15 allow avertical clearance for a slight raising of the platform. members so that.the said members will be adapted for sinking into the soft beddingmaterial. It will be seen that the platform members 45 are spaced apartthroughout their entire length so that the soft bedding material mayrise up to contact the body of the patient.

It is to be noted that the elbow joints 44 can be broken only outwardlyand upwardly so as to permit the folding of the jointed members 40 and43 for moving the platform members 45, 45, into an inoperative upperposition. The elbow joints 44 prevent the members 45 from opening-upwhile in latched position.

It is also to be noted that by raising the rails M to the position shownin Figure 1, it is possible to move the invalid elevator clear of thebed to another bed or to raise the patient above his own bed andtransfer him to a wheel table, such as is used in hospitals.

It will thus be seen that there has been provided a body iiftingplatform made of two independently supported members which make itpossible to first push one platform. member with ease under the patientand then to push the other platform member with ease under the patientnecessity of raising the entire body of the patient off the bed at onetime, which would require the raising of a. considerable weight andcausing discomfort to the patient. My invention provides alongitudinally divided platformextending integrally from end to end soas to provide support all along the entire extent of the patient. Thepatient is comfortably supported while being entirely free for movementin an upward direction, as there is no restraining mechanism above thebody of the patient.

I claim:

1. An elevator for invalids comprising an upright mobile frame havingcross-bars fixed thereto at its upper end, elevating screws rotatablysupported by said cross-bars, each of said screws ,having one end of anadjustable body-lifting downwardly, a longitudinally divided platformconsisting of two members each extending integrally from end to endthereof, said platform members having arms pivotally supported by saidlinks, each of said links carrying one end of one of said platformmembers, each of said platform members being in right-angular relationto two of said links when the platform is in body supporting position,each ,arm forming an elbow joint with one of said links, said elbowjoints being designed to be broken outwardly and upwardly to permitupward folding of said arms and links, latches for locking said platformmemmounted in said cross-bars, each of said screws being adapted tosupport one end of a vertically adjustable body-lifting-frame, saidbody-lifting,- frame comprising horizontally positioned members havinglinks pivotally mounted thereon and extending downwardly, alongitudinally divided platform consisting of two members each extendingfrom end to end thereof, said platform members having arms pivotallysupported by said links, each of said links carrying one end of one ofsaid platform members, each of said platform members being inright-angular relation to two of said links, each arm. forming an elbowjoint with one of said links, said elbow joints being designed to bebroken outwardly and upwardly to permit upward folding of said arms andlinks,'latches for locking said platform members for maintaining saidplatform members in aligned relation adapted for supporting an invalidthereon and preventing said platform members from spreading apart,meansfor raising or lowering said platform at one end independently ofthe opposite end, means for counterbalancing said platform members forindependently supporting said members in an inoperative upper position,and means'for actuating said screws.

3. An elevator for invalids comprising an upright mobile frame havingcross-bars fixed thereto at its upper end, elevating screws rotatablymounted in said cross-bars, each of said screws being adapted to supportone end of a vertically adjustable body-lifting-frame, saidbody-liftingframe'comprising horizontally positioned members havinglinks pivotally mounted thereon and extending downwardly, alongitudinally divided platform consisting of two members each extendingfrom end to end thereofysaid platform members having arms pivotallysupported from said links, each of said links supporting one end of oneof said platform members, each arm forming an elbow joint with one ofsaid links, said elbow joints being designed to be broken outwardly andupwardly to permit upward folding of said arms and'links, latches forlocking said platform members for maintainingsaid platform members inaligned relation adapted for supporting an invalid thereon, means .forraising or lowering said platform at one end independently of theopposite end, means for counterbalancing said platform members forindependently supporting said members in an inoperative upper position,and means for actuating said screws.-

CHARLES 0. NICOLAI.

